


The Lost Prince and Found Love

by afangirlimagines



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Anastasia Fusion, Inspired by Anastasia (1997), M/M, Mutual Pining, Pining Keith (Voltron), Prince Keith (Voltron), Technically the musical not the movie
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-29
Updated: 2019-04-29
Packaged: 2020-02-09 15:03:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,110
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18640513
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/afangirlimagines/pseuds/afangirlimagines
Summary: Unknown to them, Keith is the lost Prince and Lance is helping him to find his way back to his only remaining family (in exchange for a nice reward).Along their long journey to Paris, Keith asks Lance if he ever had a run-in with the lost Prince, and the two get lost in their heart-filled dreams and memories.“Did you know him? The Lost Prince?” Keith asked.“I’d like to think I did. But I was probably just another face in the masses.”[Strongly based upon In a Crowd of Thousands from the Anastasia musical, though any familiarity with Anastasia is sufficient to understand this story.]





	The Lost Prince and Found Love

**Author's Note:**

> Didn't proofread though I know I should've, so I hope it is alright. I was listening to this song and it just really hit me that this would be a cute Klance moment. Keith growing up on his own, with his bite and independence feels so strongly of Anya, and Lance will always be a charming Dmitry to me. :)

             “Did you know him? The lost Prince?” Keith asked, brushing through his hair, sitting on Lance’s bed. After another nightmare of memories which slip him once he wakes, Keith was restless. And by now, Lance had come to expect these late-night visits, even keeping a brush for Keith by the bed.

“You know, it’s silly. I’d like to think I did. I… I was in such awe of him. But I was probably just another face in the masses. I only ever saw him in person once.”

“Tell me about it.”

“It’s silly.”

“Please? It’ll help to ease my nerves.”

Lance sighed, before collapsing besides Keith on his bed. Keith watched as his eyes seemed to glaze as he stared into a far-off world. Keith shook away the wish to be on the other side of that dream-filled smile.

“It was June. I had just turned 10 and I was so excited. The Prince was coming through town in a parade. It felt like… It felt like it was a birthday present just for me, even if I know that’s ridiculous. Even now, I still think about that day.”

“I’d be more than happy to have a parade for you,” Keith said as he lowered the hairbrush, enraptured in the story.

Lance gave a soft laugh before continuing his story.

“I had gotten there as early as I could, but there was already a crowd. I was standing on my toes, peaking over shoulders when I saw him. Sitting in the middle of the carriage between his family. I was in the middle of a crowd of thousands of people, but the second I laid eyes on him, everyone else faded away. All I could see him.”

Lance’s hand rose in the air, reaching for the Prince even now.

“He was sitting straight like a true royal. A year younger than me, but his posture was perfect. He had this poised smile on his face – serene despite the ruckus of the crowd. It felt as though I was living in a picture frame as his seasoned wave moved from side to side.

“You know, the stupid thing was I couldn’t stop starring. Everyone around me was cheering, asking for babies to be kissed, hoping to gain a moment of attention from the Czar and his family. But I just starred, too awestruck to do anything. I’m sure my mouth was near the floor,” Lance laughed quietly at himself.

“I was too awestruck until I started running.”

“What?”

“I just couldn’t help but think that this would be the only chance I would ever get to see him. That I couldn’t let this moment pass without anything more. So I took a run for it. Just as the carriage was starting to pass, I ducked underneath arms, pushed aside legs, sprinting towards the parade. And just as I got to the front, I started calling out his name, praying he could hear it over the crowd’s cheers and indignant screams aimed at him.

“And just as I was reaching out, hoping to grab his attention for a moment, just a second to last me a lifetime, he smiled. He smiled at me. Not the poised smile that he had kept for the carriage, but a genuine one. A smile shared between friends. Oh, and I know looking back that he probably got criticized for encouraging my antics or breaking poise or whatever but… When I saw his eyes twinkle in the summer light, time froze. I stopped running, hit with his smile, wanting to put all my energy into taking it in.”

“What happened next?” Keith urged, shifting closer to Lance, knees bumping.

“And then… then the guards eventually pushed me back for getting close, and the carriage was too far for me to see the Prince’s styled black hair. And a few months later, he had disappeared. Became a rumor.” Lance’s hand fell to his lap as he looked down, now looking lost.

Keith placed his hand on top of Lance’s, squeezing slightly before simply letting it rest on top. “You make me feel like I was there.”

Lance chuckled. “Maybe you were. Make it part of your story. You are the Prince after all, are you not?”

Keith rested his cheek against Lance’s shoulder as he thought about being there himself. Being the Prince in that moment when Lance was chasing after him.

“It was the middle of June and not a cloud in the whole sky. The carriage was travelling on smoothly as I went through the motions, waving, smiling, thanking people. And then, a boy caught my eye.

“He was running towards the carriage, calling my name. Just one boy in a crowd of thousands, and yet he was able to pull all my attention towards him. A small, lanky boy who was a bit scuffed up with dirt. By all means, just another face in the crowd.”

“Hey!”

“But he started to dodge between the guards, running towards the carriage. He was so eager. He _made_ himself seen among the thousands of faces in that crowd. In all the heat, the crowd, he started running. I tried so hard not to smile as he started calling my name, knowing that he was doing this all for me. But I just couldn’t help myself. I smiled at him, barely resisting the urge to wave – to reach back. And then, he bowed.”

“Woah, woah, woah. I did not tell you that!”

“You didn’t have to. I remember. Lance, I remember!”

“Does that mean… When the guards pulled me back, I was blinded by the sun. And by the time I was able to focus again…”

“You were gone. But I’m not anymore.” Keith grabbed both of Lance’s hand, holding them in his own, rubbing a thumb across the knuckles.

“Part of me always knew. That that wouldn’t be the last time we saw each other.”

“I always longed to find you again. To at least put a name to the face.” Keith leaned his forehead against Lance’s. He glanced quickly down at Lance’s lips before locking eyes with him once again. “I’m so glad to have met you, Lance. Thank you. Thank you for helping to bring me back to my family again.”

Lance smiled warmly at the lost Prince. But just as Keith began to lean forward, he stood up from the bed and bowed. “Anything for you, your Highness. I hope to see you in a parade again in the near future.”

Lance didn’t look back as he left the room, leaving Keith alone on his bed, skin much cooler than the summer air around him.

 

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> If you haven't, I do strongly recommend listening to the musical's soundtrack!


End file.
